Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/First Prey 2 details and concept art revealedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/16/first-prey-2-details-and-concept-art-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/16/first-prey-2-details-and-concept-art-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/16/first-prey-2-details-and-concept-art-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It's been nearly two years since the release of Human Head Studio's nausea-inducing FPS, Prey -- and subsequently, since 3D Realms' Scott Miller dropped hints of a sequel for the game. From July 2006 to yesterday morning, no news of Prey 2 had surfaced, leading some to believe the franchise had gone the way of the Duke. Luckily, Shacknews caught wind of a Radar Group website (which, for some reason, was taken down shortly after its inception) with some concept art and juicy, but brief, details about the game.

Tommy, the astral-projecting hero of Prey the first, will reprise his role as the brash protagonist. Blamed for the disappearance of his family, Tommy "escapes an Earth that no longer wants him for a future that cannot survive without him", according to the short-lived website. This short tidbit along with a single piece of concept art were all that Radar Group had to tease us with for now -- rumor has it that we'll be hearing more about the sequel some time this week. We'll let you know when that update narbuncularly drops into our hot little hands.

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]]>3drealmsconceptarthumanheadstudiosnarbunculardroppreyprey2shacknewstommyGriffin McElroy2008-03-16T17:30:00+00:00Duke Nukem won't be 3D Realms' next 'big announcement'http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/13/duke-nukem-wont-be-3d-realms-next-big-announcement/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/13/duke-nukem-wont-be-3d-realms-next-big-announcement/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/13/duke-nukem-wont-be-3d-realms-next-big-announcement/#commentsFiled under: ,

3D Realms has some big announcements coming in the next six months, but nothing about Duke Nukem Forever, according to new creative director Raphael Van Lierop.

"I can say that we have a big announcement coming in the next four weeks, and I'm not sure, but I believe we have another major announcement coming in the next four to six months," he said in an interview with Gamasutra. "While I can't say exactly what these are, are they about Duke Nukem Forever? No."

Since beginning the DNF project just over a decade ago, the company has managed to release 12 titles, which can be summed up as Prey, two Max Paynes and nine Duke Nukem iterations. Van Lierop said that their business model benefits from a "very collaborative relationship" with other developers.

If DNF isn't one of the company's next two big announcements, then we'll likely see another partnership, perhaps the Prey sequel that 3DR's CEO Scott Miller told Firing Squad in February was already mapped out from a "high-level story standpoint." The first big announcement will coincide with this year's E3 Media and Business Summit.

Fun fact: In the span of two questions, or 521 words, in the interview, there are 9 mentions to Duke Nukem Forever, totaling 27 words (with only one of those references by the interviewer). That's over 5% of the words used in that section!

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]]>3d realms3dRealmsduke nukemduke nukem foreverDukeNukemDukeNukemForevere3max payneMaxPaynepreyRoss Miller2007-06-13T12:55:00+00:00Human Head CEO forms new development companyhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/human-head-ceo-forms-new-development-company/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/human-head-ceo-forms-new-development-company/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/human-head-ceo-forms-new-development-company/#commentsFiled under: ,


Former Human Head CEO and chairman Timothy Gerritsen left the house that built Prey in November of last year to graze in greener, more independent pastures. Today his new game development studio Big Rooster has been formally announced, plunking Gerritsen in the growing list of game development folk striking out on their own.

Big Rooster will focus on developing original titles with an emphasis on "combining depth of design with top quality visual and audio game content". Digital distribution will be a major part of the plan and the studio has already begun work on its first game, Talisman, due at the end of the year.

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]]>bigroosterdownloadablehumanheadpreypsntalismanxblaxboxliveJohn Bardinelli2007-06-06T10:15:00+00:00Human Head CEO quit in Nov, talks nowhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/03/human-head-ceo-quit-in-nov-talks-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/03/human-head-ceo-quit-in-nov-talks-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/03/human-head-ceo-quit-in-nov-talks-now/#commentsFiled under:

ex-human headerFiringSquad reports that Human Head CEO Timothy Gerritsen has left the studio; in fact, he did so shortly before Thanksgiving last year. When questioned, Gerritsen said he departed on friendly terms, but was driven to leave because of creative differences. Gerritsen did not like the direction the other owners were steering Human Head in.

Gerritsen confirmed that he would remain in game development, though he declined to give specifics. Human Head co-founder and president Paul MacArthur has been acting as interim CEO.

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]]>CEODead Man's HandDeadMan'sHandHuman HeadHuman Head StudiosHumanHeadHumanHeadStudiosMadisonPreyRuneTimothy GerritsenTimothyGerritsenWisconsinJames Ransom-Wiley2007-01-03T19:25:00+00:00Best of the rest: James's pickshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/01/best-of-the-rest-jamess-picks/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/01/best-of-the-rest-jamess-picks/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/01/best-of-the-rest-jamess-picks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

duck.
Bully (PS2)
Bully is my current favorite and has renewed my faith in Rockstar as a forward-moving publisher. The familiar game mechanics don't feel stale in this decidedly more innocent universe. Bully relies more on mischief than shock value, a relief, as are the smaller scale and lower difficulty level (really, the missions are simply less frustrating than some of the tedious tasks that abound in the GTA series). Bully isn't deserving of 'Game of the Year' honors, but Rockstar Vancouver's effort is one of the most refreshing and outright fun titles of 2006. [See also: "Dissecting Rockstar's formula"]

Additional picks (listed alphabetically):

kawashima!
Brain Age (DS)
The doc convinced me to "train" my brain daily for three straight months instead of playing something that was actually fun -- which is ludicrous; and also why this title is noteworthy. By the way, still recovering from the latent OCD this game triggered; and still writings my '5's likes 'S's. (Don't sleep on the bonus Sudoku games.)

how many have you sealed?
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Xbox 360)
Repetitive and soulless. Yeah, it's game crack -- and just as addictive as the cocaine derivative. (My personal pick for Game of the Year.)

duck!
Fight Night Round 3 (Xbox 360)
Hipsters prefer Table Tennis, me and my people just box. Classic 1-on-1 gameplay. Perfect for a room full of jeering friends.

emorpg
Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
This is the one I wish I had more time to play. Love the new battle system, gambits and all.

loco? roco!
LocoRoco (PSP)
I avoided this for months -- didn't what to update the PSP firmware. Things changed when Portable Ops hit; and I decided to scoop LocoRoco too. Now I find myself sneaking a quick level on the regular. (Tip: mute the sound.)

amaterasu
Okami (PS2)
Clover's masterwork would have made 'Top 5' if it'd been on Wii -- DualShock 2 makes for a poor ink brush. This is the best action-adventure outside of the Zelda lineage.

shout-outs
Worthy of a shout out: Clubhouse Games (DS), DJ Max Portable (PSP), Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror (PSP)

dissapointments
Disappointing:

  • Dead Rising (Xbox 360) - Great concept, but clunky controls and moronic survivor AI spoiled the fun.
  • Elite Beat Agents (DS) - Have you played Ouendan?
  • GRAW (Xbox 360) - Poor teammate AI ruined this game; should be called Ghost Recon Advanced Babysitter.
  • Prey (Xbox 360) - A decade in the making, and the outcome is this forgettable?
  • Resistance (PS3) - Derivative presentation, slow start, and chaotic multiplayer were all turnoffs.
  • Splinter Cell Double Agent (Xbox 360) - Choice-making gimmick failed to keep me interested in the series, which might have peaked with Chaos Theory.
See also: Joystiq's Game of the Year

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]]>360BethesdaBrain AgeBrainAgeBullyCapcomClubhouse GamesClubhouseGamesDead RisingDeadRisingDJ Max PortableDjMaxPortableDouble AgentDoubleAgentDSElder ScrollsElderScrollsElite Beat AgentsEliteBeatAgentsFight NightFight Night Round 3FightNightFightNightRound3Final FantasyFinal Fantasy XIIFinalFantasyFinalFantasyXiiGhost ReconGhost Recon Advanced WarfighterGhostReconGhostReconAdvancedWarfighterGrand Theft AutoGrandTheftAutoGRAWGTALocoRocoNew Super Mario Bros.NewSuperMarioBros.NintendoOblivionOkamiOuendanPreyPS2PS3PSPResistanceRockstarSplinter CellSplinter Cell Double AgentSplinterCellSplinterCellDoubleAgentSyphon FilterSyphonFilterTom ClancyTomClancyUbisoftWiiWii SportsWiiSportsXbox 360Xbox360James Ransom-Wiley2007-01-01T10:55:00+00:00Triton users to get replacement copy of Preyhttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/11/triton-users-to-get-replacement-copy-of-prey/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/11/triton-users-to-get-replacement-copy-of-prey/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/11/triton-users-to-get-replacement-copy-of-prey/#commentsFiled under: , ,

With digital distributor Triton now six feet under, those who purchased Prey are now unable to use their copies. Fortunately, 3D Realms has already set into motion a solution: by sending the disenfranchised boxed copies of Prey to their credit card addresses. Furthermore, Triton staff member OBWANDO promised that they're trying to get a patch through that removes the downloaded copy's dependency on Triton.

Tipster James raises an interesting question: what would happen if Steam shut down? Presumably, Valve would give enough of a warning to distribute patches that allow the games to work without Steam, but the Triton incident reveals some unintended ramifications of digital distribution.

[Thanks, James]

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]]>3d realms3dRealmsdigital distributionDigitalDistributionpreytritonRoss Miller2006-10-11T14:00:00+00:00Prey it forward; Prey downloads are freehttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/11/prey-it-forward-prey-downloads-are-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/11/prey-it-forward-prey-downloads-are-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/11/prey-it-forward-prey-downloads-are-free/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Thanks to the generosity of the fine folks at 3D Realms, Xbox 360 gamers can save their precious Microsoft Points for some more Gamertag pics, or maybe buy some video manuals and missing soccer teams from EA while PC gamers can ... well, they're in a constant state of saving for new video cards, so they can just keep saving.

The downloadable content for Prey has arrived and, as promised, it's free (as in beer). The Xbox 360 version has five new multiplayer characters and four new multiplayer maps, while the PC download has the same as well as some tasty bug fixes.

[Thanks to all the cheapskates that sent this in!]

Read - Prey 360 Additional Content Now Available
Read - Prey v1.2 PC Patch Release

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]]>3D Realms3dRealmsDownloadablePreyChristopher Grant2006-10-11T08:30:00+00:00Prey extras to cost $0 (that's 0 MS points)http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/18/prey-extras-to-cost-0-thats-0-ms-points/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/18/prey-extras-to-cost-0-thats-0-ms-points/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/18/prey-extras-to-cost-0-thats-0-ms-points/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace is like the wild west; a new frontier where bold pioneers make the rules as they go. First, a swarthy, mustachioed gent named Beth Esda (hey, it's a dude's name!) starting charging folks for what he called "horse armor." This armor was little more than a fancy horse blanket, but Esda ran a tough gang, and folks were curious, so he did all right by himself.

Plenty of other shopkeepers came into town, hawking their wares with little regard for the "horse armor" precedent and finding some success ... and then a stranger came to town. D.D.D. Realms thought folks should get new multiplayer maps and skins for nuttin' so, before even opening up shop, he announced that all Native American-themed Prey content, both in his XBLA store and the PC store down the street, would be free of charge.

Of course, folks know all about D.D.D. Realms, who's been promising 'em some Duke Nukem flimflam since as far back as the '90s and, just like that product, this new Prey content will be available "when it's done." It remains to be seen if other shopkeepers follow his low-priced lead or if it's still every publisher for himself.

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]]>3D Realms3dRealmsMicrosoft PointsMicrosoftPointsPreyXbox LiveXbox Live MarketplaceXboxLiveXboxLiveMarketplaceChristopher Grant2006-09-18T15:25:00+00:00A Prey patch in the works [update 1]http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/14/a-prey-patch-in-the-works/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/14/a-prey-patch-in-the-works/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/14/a-prey-patch-in-the-works/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


3D Realms released news that patches are on the way for both the PC and 360 versions of their cool, but short first-person shooter Prey. If you're like us and finished Prey long ago and were left with nothing else to do but watch a horrid multiplayer slug along, this is great news.

While the single player side is a truly solid game, the multiplayer version of Prey -- at least on the 360 -- is a complete mess of epic proportions. Here are some fixes coming to the PC version:
  • Fixed a crash at startup on some machines
  • Fixed a crash on some machines when reading saved games
  • Fixed multiplayer weapon exploit
The studio announced its fixes for the console version as such: "[The] 360 patch for Prey which will address the network lag issues on the 360 as well as fix several bugs there as well." No date has been announced for the patch releases, but they promise to have them out "very, very soon."

[Update: Apparently "very soon" means today. If you start up Prey, an update will be waiting for you. We tested multiplayer to see if it was fixed and it wasn't. The game was still very laggy and close to unplayable. In fact, in one game we tried to get into, the game completely froze. Thanks for the tip, Grim]

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]]>PreyJoystiq Staff2006-08-14T10:25:00+00:00PLAY! Symphony plays Prey in Phillay tonight (we'll be there)http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/27/play-symphony-plays-prey-in-phillay-tonight-well-be-there/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/27/play-symphony-plays-prey-in-phillay-tonight-well-be-there/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/27/play-symphony-plays-prey-in-phillay-tonight-well-be-there/#commentsFiled under:


Philly is racking up the video game concerts this summer. First, the Video Games Live concert at the Merriam Theater in June*, and now rival production PLAY! at the Mann Center tonight, 8:30.

Just to make the evening super special, the promoters added some music from the (better than you'd think) Prey soundtrack to the already impressive program. Other titles on the RPG-heavy lineup include Final Fantasy, Chrono Cross and Trigger, Morrowind, Kingdom Hearts, Shenmue, and more. Tickets are still available so if this is the first you've heard about it, get buying.

I'll be at the show tonight with (just a) couple oddly sized Joystiq shirts to give away so, if you can answer me who composed the music for Sonic Rush (don't answer it here!), you may get yourself a fancy tee.

*I promise I'll recount my very tardy VGL experience in addition to PLAY! so y'all can compare and contrast.

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]]>ConcertMusicPlaypreyChristopher Grant2006-07-27T16:45:00+00:00Promo card hints at Prey moviehttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/18/promo-card-hints-at-prey-movie/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/18/promo-card-hints-at-prey-movie/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/18/promo-card-hints-at-prey-movie/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Let's all hope that Uwe Boll doesn't catch wind of this, but an astute Joystiq reader brought something very interesting to our attention. In true Wheels of Fortune style, our little tipster figured out that according to a Prey promotional card included in the 360 game, a movie based on the newly released title could be in the works.

Filling in the blanks of the secret code "prymvyscrnplycmng2007" reveals the possible: Prey movie screenplay coming 2007. Now granted, the people behind this may not know how to spell the word "movie" correctly (notice it says "mvy"), but it can't be sheer coincidence that this just happens to spell out this particular message, can it?

For those of us who've spent some time with the game, we know how good the story is. So, put in the right hands, it could make for a very entertaining movie. So long as you know who doesn't take charge.

[Thanks, Chris Soulodre]

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]]>PreyPrey moviePreyMovieJoystiq Staff2006-07-18T23:47:00+00:00First trailer of Valve's Portal releasedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/18/first-trailer-of-valves-portal-released/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/18/first-trailer-of-valves-portal-released/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/18/first-trailer-of-valves-portal-released/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

One of the announced games to be featured alongside the upcoming PC and console versions of Half-Life 2: Episode Two is one that promises to obliterate your concepts of traditional level design and generally assault your brain with a large rolling pin. It's called Portal and, should the name not be explanatory enough, it deals primarily with gaping holes in time and space which magically transport you to different locations. Where Human Head's Prey took you for a wacky ride through these portals, Valve's title equips you with a sterile looking gun and urges you to make your own entry and exit points with wild abandon.

The trailer (embedded in the second part of the post) aptly demonstrates the powers of the portal gun, the dangers of getting caught in an infinite loop and, of course, how using rampant teleportation can enable you to solve puzzles involving crates of some kind. As they say, hilarity ensues.

[Thanks Easy_G!]

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]]>FPSGabe NewellGabeNewellHalf-LifeHalf-Life 2Half-life2HL2PortalportalsPreyTeam Fortress 2TeamFortress2ValveLudwig Kietzmann2006-07-18T17:45:00+00:00Region-free Prey for only $40http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/17/region-free-prey-for-only-40/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/17/region-free-prey-for-only-40/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/17/region-free-prey-for-only-40/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Looking for a next-gen fix, but disgusted by next-gen pricing? We hear you; thankfully, Cheap Ass Gamer has come to the rescue by confirming that Prey is region free, so it can be played on any Xbox 360. Play-Asia lets you order the game, with full English support, from Japan for only $40 plus shipping (which is just over $3 to the US, CAG estimates) -- perfect for patient penny pinchers!

We just got a copy of Prey and are tinkering around with it; with any luck we will have a review up by the end of the week.

[via 1UP]

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]]>preyRoss Miller2006-07-17T18:26:00+00:00Metareview - Prey (Xbox 360)http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/11/metareview-prey-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/11/metareview-prey-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/11/metareview-prey-xbox-360/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Pret (Xbox 360)Is this the answer to our summer woes? Well, let's put it this way: it's either Prey or Chromehounds -- if you're an Xbox 360 owner. We're goin' with the Cherokee alien abductee, even if Prey is a short-lived romp. This one's got 'summer blockbuster' written all over it...
  • Detroit Free Press (100/100) is not noted for its gaming insight, but chimes in with praise: "This is one game any Half-Life or Doom fan can buy without reservations."
  • 1up (80/100) wants more of the gimmicks: "If only the Native American mysticism had figured in more. If only the spirit "death walk" had developed into something more than a shooting gallery. If only the voice acting and storytelling were a little better."
  • GameSpot (75/100) deals a low score -- by its standards -- summing it up: "[Much] of the game's potential for unique thrills feels wasted by its straightforward level design, and the multiplayer doesn't add much to the package."

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]]>2K2K Games2kGames3D Realms3dRealmsHuman HeadHumanHeadPreyJames Ransom-Wiley2006-07-11T13:55:00+00:00Prey Demo now available on Xbox Livehttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/30/prey-demo-now-available-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/30/prey-demo-now-available-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/30/prey-demo-now-available-on-xbox-live/#commentsFiled under: ,


Major Nelson kindly informed us that the Xbox Live servers are hosting a brand new chunk of code. At last, Xbox 360 owners get the opportunity to explore Human Head's topsy-turvy alien abductee sim, Prey. Contained within the 1.17GB demo (well over the 449MB PC version), you'll find a first-person shooter tinged with insanity and laced with opportunities to shoot yourself in the back. It's not often we get to play a corridor-crawler where the walls vomit body parts, your grenades attempt to bite you and the gravity behaves like it's trapped within some sort of interstellar tumble dryer. It's also not often that we get a Live demo on a Friday -- must be more alien meddling.

Grab the demo and be sure to let us know what you think. Please note that the demo is not available in the regions of Germany or Japan, so folks living there won't get to prey it right away (sorry).

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]]>3D Realms3dRealmsAlien abductionAlienAbductionFPSHuman HeadHumanHeadMSFTPreyPrey DemoPreyDemoXBLXbox LiveXboxLiveLudwig Kietzmann2006-06-30T16:30:00+00:00Joystiq hands-on: Playing Prey on the 360http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/joystiq-hands-on-playing-prey-on-the-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/joystiq-hands-on-playing-prey-on-the-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/joystiq-hands-on-playing-prey-on-the-360/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Out on July 11 for both the PC and Xbox 360, Prey is an FPS that is pretty much a mixed bag of every other shooter you've ever played and then some. As I took hold of the 360 version today, I found certain elements here and there that would hark back to another title in my gaming past.

But Prey is more than your standardized Quake or Doom rip-off. It has elements of what's worked in thinking man FPS offerings, like Half-Life 2. So, with 360 controller in hand, I dove into the deep end of Prey to see just what this American Indian/alien abduction twist of a game was all about.


Moments that make you go 'ew'
The majority of Prey takes place on an alien vessel which is not your standard cold-steel contraption. No, this thing has almost a life of its own with gooey-wet parts and shiny-pretty parts. It's just as much organic as it is technologically sound.

Controlling this behemoth of a ship is what's called the "Sphere," or "Mother" by its inhabitants. The beings living here range from zombie-like human drones to Fido-gone-bad pooches who look to have had their skin ripped off. All in all, the variety of enemies and spawn points keep the game very refreshing and random.

As you walk down corridors, everything is in constant play. There are tentacles that jet out, waiting to touch and harm you or sphincter-like protrusions that can spit a fluid to take down your health a smudge. There wasn't one moment in the game were there wasn't at least something I had to really pay attention to in the environment. One wrong step yielded a loss in life.

Big boy with living toys
There are seven different weapons in Prey, with the game allowing you to hold all seven at the same time. Besides a standard wrench, the rest of the weapons are alien-made. Each is just as unique and life-like as the world in which you are trapped in.

Flipping between weapons was an exercise in simplicity. Using the left or right bumper, you could easily cycle through your arsenal. There is even a mapping feature that allows you to select certain weapons on the fly with the directional pad.

Aiming and movement was solid. I didn't feel any Perfect Dark Zero-style looseness here. The controls were very smooth and natural. Something that is key for FPS games, but something not all can perfectly grasp -- especially on a console.

Smart as a button
Having relatively responsive A.I. is another hot topic with today's more advanced games. Prey looks to continue this as you'll see enemies dodge, use grenades -- which look like those annoying little scourge creatures from Halo -- and pop out anywhere with the use of portals. I came across some that were a bit lacking, though, but for the most part they did pose a bit of a challenge.

Maybe the most challenging of all the foes presented were the little ghost children that inhabit the ship. Lost souls from kids who were killed by the resident aliens aboard, these little tykes posed the greatest obstacle. They'd appear out of nowhere and if you got too close, kill you almost immediately.

Puzzling puzzles
Speaking of obstacles, the game also has a myriad of small puzzle-type challenges. To make sure that you utilize your spirit mode -- where you can leave your body at any time -- the developers make the player find non-standard ways of getting past certain areas.

Most are obvious, with switches and one-way portals lying about, but some were a wee bit more difficult. To help you, though, players will find little sun symbols in certain spots where it would be wise to go into spirit mode to see just what you have to do to progress.

Other obstacles I found were finding which way to take certain gravity-laced walkways that can have you striding along upside down or sideways. There are even spots that you can shoot to change the gravity of the entire room -- which more times than not is a necessity and not a luxury.

Immerse yourself in the randomness
The biggest thing I came away with after playing Prey was how random everything was -- and that's a good thing. I never felt bored, and if I didn't have to leave the room, I would have stayed to finish the whole game. Even the story is interesting and deep, something I normally don't care about in FPS games.

Usually, I just want to run and gun, killing all who cross my path. This one however, goes pretty deep with nods to 2001: A Space Oddity and just about every other cool sci-fi thinker.

Even dying is fun in Prey. Once you get the ability to spirit walk, when you die you are transported to what is called "death walking." In this mode, you basically are in a ghostly-like area where you shoot colored wraiths to either gain back more health or spirit once you return to your body.

Because of death walking, the game doesn't stall. I never had any downtime, which was actually pretty cool. I never wanted to check my watch to see what time it was because I just wanted to keep going and going like an Energizer bunny after a dozen or so Red Bulls.

Skimpy multiplayer madness
The producers of Prey were pretty psyched about this area of the game. They felt as if the multiplayer would really make this title stand out.

With a limit of 8 players per game, players are also limited to just deathmatch and team deathmatch modes at the moment. However, I was told that there were plans to implement more modes later on -- I'm guessing through downloadable updates and such, which better be free. Only having two options from the start in multiplayer seems like a big negative, but hopefully updates won't take long to implement.

Pretty much everything you can do in the single-player mode you can do in multiplayer with the exception of death walking, which would have no real place here. You can spirit walk, change gravity, everything. Making for what the producers assured me can be a very chaotic and fast-paced experience.

Put the controller down
So, after a couple hours of actually being able to play this game, I came away pretty satisfied. It was something I didn't want to put down, that I wanted to complete so I could try out everything it had to offer and see what kind of ending was in store for me when I was done.

While Prey at its heart is your standard FPS, it also isn't at the same time. Like I said, it sort of takes everything you've loved and wanted in a shooter and mashes it up in one big pot. I strongly encourage you to at least test out the demo when it finally hits Xbox Live and see for yourself. Either way, looks like we got another strong shooter for the 360 coming up.

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]]>PreyPrey 360Prey360Joystiq Staff2006-06-29T17:55:00+00:00Prey is golden, will hunt on July 11thhttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/28/prey-is-golden-will-hunt-on-july-11th/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/28/prey-is-golden-will-hunt-on-july-11th/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/28/prey-is-golden-will-hunt-on-july-11th/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2K Games announced today that Prey has gone gold. Developed by Human Head Studios "under the direct supervision of 3D Realms," Prey is the latest first-person shooter to hit the market. The official release date is July 11th for North America and July 14th for Europe.

3D Realms will be using their share to ramp up development on Duke Nukem Forever. We hope.

The demo is available now for the PC. As for the Xbox 360 demo, don't ask Major Nelson -- he is a bit fed up with the inquisition.

See Also:
Xbox 360 impressions: Prey (multiplayer)

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]]>preyRoss Miller2006-06-28T20:02:00+00:00Prey Limited Editions revealedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/26/prey-limited-edition-extras/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/26/prey-limited-edition-extras/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/26/prey-limited-edition-extras/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Prey Limited Edition packagingWe're only a few weeks away from the release of Prey, and 3D Realms is whetting the appetite of collectors with the announcement of the game's limited edition packaging. For an extra $10, you'll get the DVD edition of the game in a shiny metal box that includes a book of artwork and two pewter figurines (three, if you pre-order now). Come on, you know you want that Mutate figurine!

See also: Prey PC demo available, Xbox 360 demo WRU?

[via TeamXbox]

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]]>2k games3d realmsdoom 3 enginefpshuman headpc gamespreyvenom gamesxbox 360Alan Rose2006-06-26T12:00:00+00:00Prey PC demo available; Xbox 360 demo WRU? [update 1]http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/22/prey-pc-demo-available-xbox-360-demo-wru/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/22/prey-pc-demo-available-xbox-360-demo-wru/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/22/prey-pc-demo-available-xbox-360-demo-wru/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The demo for both the PC and Xbox 360 versions of Human Head's long-time-comin' FPS, Prey, were supposed to drop today. It's today and one's here, the other ain't. Just so we weren't left hanging, checking the Xbox Live Marketplace ad nauseum, 3D Realms' George Broussard donned an all too familiar cap to let everyone know the demo isn't coming ... at least not today:

"We do not want 360 people waiting up for the demo or having false expectations. The 360 demo will not appear on Marketplace tonight.

"I'm still waiting for specifcs, but I'm being told that it's still in testing at Microsoft. From what I understand this isn't Microsoft's fault, and is more likely just an issue of timing.

"I'm hesitant to give any estimates for a release, but I've been told it should be reasonably soon after the PC release, but could be as long as a few days.

"We will post an update as soon as we have more solid information."

Since we all know Microsoft isn't to keen on releasing demos on Fridays, we're looking at an early next week release. If you're rocking a PC capable of running the demo, you could always go that route also.

[Via 360-Hq.com]

[Update 1: TV Guide's Joe Hutsko got word from 2K Games' Jay Boor who said ... wait for it ... "Should be up soon - hopefully today." Alright hopefuls, you can officially start bugging the hell out of the XBL servers! Thanks, Joe!]

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]]>3D Realms3dRealmsDemoDownloadsHuman HeadHumanHeadPreyChristopher Grant2006-06-22T10:35:00+00:00Prey web site fully operationalhttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/11/prey-web-site-fully-operational/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/11/prey-web-site-fully-operational/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/11/prey-web-site-fully-operational/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Prey web site fully operational2K Games and 3D Realms have re-launched the web site for Prey, their new sci-fi shooter powered by the Doom 3 engine. In addition to updated screens and wallpaper, you'll find some gameplay vids that demonstrate main character Tommy's wall walking, death walking, and spirit mode abilities. Prey ships on July 10 for the PC and Xbox 360.

See also: Xbox 360 Prey now in the hands of 2K's Venom Games

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]]>2k games3d realmsdoom 3 enginehuman headpreyvenom gamesAlan Rose2006-06-11T14:15:00+00:00